paper 2 Flashcards
Module A: Context
Age of Discovery
● Period of exploration
● 15th - 18th century
● Romantasise indigenous (slaves)
● Setting of island in the tempest
● European trading routes and land
● Led to new world views and ideas
● New land therefore new food and animals for trading
Modue A: Context
Providentialism
● All events on earth are God
● God is incharge of all
● Power of church
● Prospero controlling nature = God
Module A: Context
Christian Humanism
● Mainstream belief
● Human die for their sins
● The tempest shifting values
● Miranda dad = God
● Forgiveness and mercy
Module A: Context
Colonisation and exploration in the 18th Centenary
● What island would be as a utopia
● Caliban = cannibal
○ Rape miranda or just island population
● 120 years after Columbas
● Native inhabitant
● Europein views of indigenous
○ Prospero treatment of Caliban
○ Nature vs nurture
Module A: Context
Edwardian Language
● Transformative effect
● New cultures
● New obsession, stories beyond England
● Reflect social, culture, political
● People in power speak in verse
● Prose for people with less power
● Biblical language
Module A: Context
Devine right of kings
● Political legit of monarchy
● Nobels are more important
● People who arn’t important can be freely abused
● Natures disregard for right of kings (shift in power)
● Jacobean
● Prospero = God above kings
● Language
○ Slave = devil
○ Biblical illusion
● Key to monarchy at time
Module A: Context
Great chain of beings
● Hierarchy of things created by god
● Biblical hierarchy
● The tempest challenges and aligns
● Prospero is God because he can alter and change fate
● Talking to god
Module A: TT Context
Textual Context
● Written by William Shakespeare around 1610-1611.
● Considered one of Shakespeare’s final plays.
● Set on a remote island, blending elements of romance, comedy, and drama.
● Reflects themes of power, colonialism, revenge, and forgiveness.
● Inspired by accounts of shipwrecks and exploration during the Age of Discovery.
● Features characters like Prospero, Miranda, Ariel, and Caliban.
● Often interpreted as Shakespeare’s farewell to the stage.
● Exhibits Shakespeare’s mastery of language and exploration of human nature.
Module A: TT Context
Exploration and Colonization
○ European powers were engaged in extensive exploration and colonization efforts around the globe, including the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
○ This period marked the height of European expansionism and the establishment of overseas empires.
Module A: TT Context
Scientific Revolution
○ The Scientific Revolution was underway, with advancements in astronomy, physics, and mathematics challenging traditional understandings of the cosmos and leading to the development of new scientific methodologies.
Module A: TT Context
Political Intrigue
○ In England, the reign of Queen Elizabeth I had recently ended, and King James I (who commissioned Shakespeare’s acting company) was on the throne.
○ The political landscape was characterized by intrigue, power struggles, and efforts to consolidate royal authority.
Module A: TT Context
Religious Conflicts
○ Religious tensions persisted, both domestically in England and across Europe.
○ The Protestant Reformation had led to enduring divisions within Christianity, with conflicts between Protestant and Catholic factions shaping political and social dynamics.
Module A: TT Context
Cultural Renaissance
○ England was experiencing a cultural renaissance, with flourishing artistic, literary, and theatrical movements.
○ Shakespeare himself was at the height of his career, producing many of his most celebrated works during this period.
Module A: TT Context
Social Changes
○ Societal changes were underway, including shifts in economic structures, urbanization, and the emergence of a burgeoning middle class.
○ These changes influenced cultural production and societal norms.
Module A: TT Context
Global Trade
○ The expansion of global trade routes facilitated by exploration and colonization had far-reaching economic implications, transforming patterns of commerce, wealth distribution, and cultural exchange.